gas struts for Duster hood

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mrhinsjc

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I have a 70 Duster with a stock flat hood. It appears the hood has seen the weight of a lot of beer drinkers over the years, and has several dips.

I am getting ready to have the car painted, and know if I keep this hood it's going to end up with a lot of filler on it. I don't mind that, but experience tells me the factory hinges might not be able to lift the heavier hood, and it won't stay up without a prop.
I want to keep the look of an original hood, so as I see it I have two options. I could get a new aftermarket hood and stay with the factory hinges, except I'm not sure on the quality/fit of a new hood.

Or, I could put the filler on and switch to some gas struts. There is nothing special about the car, so there is nothing to "preserve", so to speak.

So I am looking for some recommendations on the struts-length, load capacity, etc. from anyone that has experience with them.
 
just my 2C,, If its like my barracuda hood,your going to spend alot in bondo and man hours//might be better off with another hood//the weight of the bondo ,underhood heat of a "A" body,leverage on a weak hood and the flexing is a recipe for being really unhappy when the bondo lets loose and takes out your windshield.....
200.webp

and your paint job,, oh yeah the hinges. well oiled hinges work well with a stock hood /save the money on the struts/fabrication and get another hood...
 
Last edited:
jazak5 said:
a recipe for being really unhappy when the bondo lets loose and takes out your windshield.....
Click to expand...

What? Please find a new bodyman (oh sorry, bodyperson, for any snowflakes) Bondo is not for filling divots and such. It's for finish work, after hours of hammer and dolly work, of shrinking and filing, of pin welding and slide hammering or even glue and cup pulls. Good body work might need a 16th of an inch and most of that would be sanded away. Even if by some chance it could come loose. It would be like a maple leaf hitting the windshield. The days of mixing up a 1/2" thick layer I would hope are long since gone. But, maybe that's just me.
 
Hood struts depend on where they are placed. Close to the picot requires the most lift capacity and farther out requires length. If you find one you think will work, get a bathroom scale and a piece of wood. Use the scale as the base on your fender and prop up the hood using the wood as a prop rod on the scale where you want to weld Look at the weight to hold it up. Thats your target weight plus a few lbs and point of mount. Youll find 1 or 2 part numbers that will work. Too strong of a strut may taco your hood when you shut it, be aware.
 
pishta said:
Hood struts depend on where they are placed. Close to the picot requires the most lift capacity and farther out requires length. If you find one you think will work, get a bathroom scale and a piece of wood. Use the scale as the base on your fender and prop up the hood using the wood as a prop rod on the scale where you want to weld Look at the weight to hold it up. Thats your target weight plus a few lbs and point of mount. Youll find 1 or 2 part numbers that will work. Too strong of a strut may taco your hood when you shut it, be aware.
Click to expand...
I would like to add,the single layer of sheet metal isnt enough to support the lift strut. You will want to add a layer or 2 of sheet metal and more fasteners to strengthen the mounting point.
There are various ball stud brackets available as well.
 
Yup some hoods are made bfefy enough for this type of lift, some are not. My 65 has a healthy formed frame down at the base that may take a support, but my Mazda pickups hood would fold like cardboard with almost no framework, just a prop rod. Cheap *** truck.
 
mrhinsjc said:
I have a 70 Duster with a stock flat hood. It appears the hood has seen the weight of a lot of beer drinkers over the years, and has several dips.

I am getting ready to have the car painted, and know if I keep this hood it's going to end up with a lot of filler on it. I don't mind that, but experience tells me the factory hinges might not be able to lift the heavier hood, and it won't stay up without a prop.
I want to keep the look of an original hood, so as I see it I have two options. I could get a new aftermarket hood and stay with the factory hinges, except I'm not sure on the quality/fit of a new hood.

Or, I could put the filler on and switch to some gas struts. There is nothing special about the car, so there is nothing to "preserve", so to speak.

So I am looking for some recommendations on the struts-length, load capacity, etc. from anyone that has experience with them.
Click to expand...


Why don't you just straighten it out , way less bondo ?
 
I would think it would be fairly easy to find a better hood in California, and just junk the old one. Duster, Scamp, Valiant...they are all the same from 70 - 72, and maybe a few other years. No bondo or fabrication required!
 
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